NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Image above: George "Pinky" Nelson flew three space shuttle missions, including STS-26. He also flew untethered in space using a Manned Maneuvering Unit. Photo credit: NASA
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› View Nelson's NASA biography

Image above: Bill Shepherd flew four times in space and served as the first commander of the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA
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› View Shepherd's NASA biography

Image above: James Wetherbee flew in space six times between 1990 and 2002, including five missions as commander. Four of his flights went to a space station, twice to Mir and twice to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA
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› View Wetherbee's NASA biography NASA Television will provide live coverage of the 2009 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday, May 2, at 3 p.m. EDT. The ceremony will take place at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.

Joining the hall of fame this year are former astronauts George "Pinky" Nelson, one of only four space shuttle astronauts to fly untethered in space using NASA's Manned Maneuvering Unit; William Shepherd, commander of the first crew to live aboard the International Space Station; and Jim Wetherbee, commander of the longest docked shuttle-Mir mission.

CNN reporter John Zarrella will host the event. More than 20 hall of fame astronauts are expected to attend, including Scott Carpenter, Walt Cunningham, Jim Lovell and Bob Crippen.

Watch ceremony on NASA TV at 3 p.m. Saturday







NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center